07/18/2026
Temperatures are up. Cat faucet season has begun.
Cats can overheat in hot weather too! Keep them cool with this cat-approved heat wave checklist! 🐈⬛🌡️
🚰 Some cats find drinking from a faucet irresistible, like نسيبه! Supervise them to avoid wasting water.
💧 Keep fresh water everywhere your cat has access, indoors and outside, with outdoor bowls in the shade. Since many cats prefer moving or cool water, try a fountain, change the water frequently, and add ice cubes to keep it cool.
🧊 Ice cubes can also be fun swatting toys!
🪮 Brush your cat frequently, as matted fur can trap heat.
💦 Use damp towels to pat their tummy, paws, armpits, chin, ears, and other areas with little to no fur. Do not wrap or cover them.
🧊 Wrap a frozen water bottle in a towel and place it near your cat’s resting area—never directly against your cat.
🪭 Indoors, close the shades and circulate the air with air conditioning and/or secure bladeless fans.
🪑 Cats can cool off on cooling mats, damp towels, tile, hardwood floors, in empty bathtubs, showers, sinks, dark rooms, and under chairs.
🌅 Limit outdoor activity to cooler mornings and evenings.
🚪 Close off conservatories, greenhouses, sheds, and garages, as they trap heat.
📦 Create shaded outdoor resting areas with cardboard boxes placed on their sides.
🧴 Cat-formulated sunscreen can protect noses, ears, paws, and areas with little to no fur. Paw wax can protect paws from hot surfaces. Ask your vet for recommendations.
🚗 Never leave your cat in a parked car, even with cracked windows or in the shade.
🐱 Take extra precautions with kittens, seniors, overweight cats, flat-faced breeds, and cats with heart or respiratory conditions.
🏥 Signs that may require immediate veterinary attention include agitation, rapid or open-mouthed breathing, excessive panting or drooling, lethargy, weakness, skin hot to the touch, pale or bright-red gums, glazed eyes, vomiting, diarrhea, slow bounce back of skin, seizures, and collapse. When doubt or if you're unsure call your vet!
